H.R. No. 524

R E S O L U T I O N

WHEREAS, Many proud citizens of Lamar County are visiting the State Capitol on February 27 and 28, 2019, to celebrate the role this Northeast Texas county has played in the annals of the Lone Star State; and

WHEREAS, At the time of the Republic of Texas, present-day Lamar County was located within the boundaries of Red River County; population growth led the Fifth Congress of the republic to establish Lamar County on December 17, 1840, and the current boundaries were drawn 30 years later when a portion of land was carved out for the creation of Delta County; and

WHEREAS, Lamar County's namesake was the fourth president of the Republic of Texas, Mirabeau B. Lamar; the small settlement of Lafayette was the first county seat, and Mount Vernon later served briefly in that capacity until the town of Paris was founded on 50 acres donated by George W. Wright; Paris has served as the county seat since 1844; and

WHEREAS, At the turn of the century, Lamar County remained primarily rural, and although the population of Paris had grown to more than 9,000, no other community exceeded 1,000 residents; the industrial economy gradually began to make gains on agriculture in the 20th century as people moved into towns and smaller communities, and Paris played an increasingly important role in the economy of Northeast Texas; and

WHEREAS, Today, Paris is a regional hub for manufacturing, retail trade, and medical care; it is home to a number of Fortune 500 companies, including Campbell Soup Company, which produces such products as Pace Picante Sauce and Prego Italian sauces in its Paris plant, and Kimberly-Clark, makers of Huggies diapers; also contributing to the city's economy are BodyGuard Truck Accessories, a global after-market truck parts distributor, and J. Skinner Baking, producers of Hostess, Little Debbie, and Walmart baked goods; moreover, Paris is a prominent national center for trailer manufacturing, with PJ Trailers and Load Trail helping to anchor that segment of the business community; one of the area's newest employers, American SpiralWeld Pipe Company, fabricates large diameter cement-coated pipe for lake water transfers and municipal sewer systems; the city is located within an excellent multimodal transportation network, with the recent expansions of Texas Highway 82 and U.S. Highway 271 and the four-lane route to Interstate 30 via Texas Highway 19/24 allowing improved access to the area's numerous manufacturing plants and distribution centers; and

WHEREAS, Quality of life in Paris is enhanced by Paris Junior College and several excellent independent school districts and by such beautiful recreation areas as Wade Park, Lake Gibbons, Lake Crook, and the Sam Bell Maxey House State Historic Site; every summer, citizens enjoy the Tour de Paris bike race and concerts by the Paris Municipal Band, the oldest such ensemble in the state; landmarks include the Culbertson Fountain in the historic district, named "the prettiest plaza in the State of Texas" by Texas Monthly magazine, and the "third largest Eiffel Tower in the Second Largest Paris," a 65-foot-tall monument constructed by local workers and capped, appropriately, with a cowboy hat; and

WHEREAS, Lamar County is one of the Lone Star State's great treasures, and it is indeed a pleasure to honor its residents as they look forward to a bright and promising future; now, therefore, be it

RESOLVED, That the House of Representatives of the 86th Texas Legislature hereby recognize February 27 and 28, 2019, as Lamar County Days at the State Capitol and extend to the visiting delegation sincere best wishes for a meaningful and memorable stay in Austin.

VanDeaver

______________________________ Speaker of the House

I certify that H.R. No. 524 was adopted by the House on February 27, 2019, by a non-record vote.

______________________________ Chief Clerk of the House